Phyrexian Metamorph and Necromancy

[Kuma]

If I have Phyrexian Metamorph in my graveyard, cast Necromancy (at sorcery speed) targeting the Phyrexian Metamorph and choose to have it copy a non-creature artifact as it enters the battlefield, what happens?

[Koby]

This summary ruling covers the specific case:


4/1/2008: If the creature card put onto the battlefield has Protection from Black (or anything that prevents this from legally being attached), this won’t be able to attach to it. Then this will go to the graveyard as a State-Based Action, causing the creature to be sacrificed. This is a change from recent functionality.

Since attaching a 'Aura - Enchant Creature' cannot attach to a non-creature, the enchantment would fail to attach and be put into the graveyard instead. This causes Necromancy to trigger the sacrifice effect.

[Kuma]

So do I then have to sacrifice my Phyrexian Metamorph even if it's not a creature?

[Koby]

So do I then have to sacrifice my Phyrexian Metamorph even if it's not a creature?

Sacrifice is not restricted to only creature, so yes. It refers to the card itself, rather than a creature.

[Kuma]

I'm not trying to argue with you or be a pest, but the Oracle text for Necromancy specifically references the creature:

When Necromancy enters the battlefield, if it's on the battlefield, it becomes an Aura with "enchant creature put onto the battlefield with Necromancy." Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control and attach Necromancy to it. When Necromancy leaves the battlefield, that creature's controller sacrifices it.

If there's no creature, i.e. Phyrexian Metamorph is an artifact, can that "creature's" controller be referenced since the metamorph is no longer a creature?

[Koby]

I don't take it as being a pest, since I do anticipate that question from my reading of the Oracle text.

Most judges would agree with the spirit that Necromancy is trying to prevent the <card> from staying around. Here's an example of another effect that does exile a card regardless of its type:

Mimic Vat
Imprint — Whenever a nontoken creature dies, you may exile that card. If you do, return each other card exiled with Mimic Vat to its owner's graveyard.
{3}, {T}: Put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of the exiled card. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.

I believe the intent of this modern formatting is to ignore type and simply exile or sacrifice the card/token regardless of how it ends up. Interestingly, Mimic Vat will also be able to Imprint animated non-creature permanents the same way.

[Kuma]

Got it. Thanks. :smile:

[cdr]

When an delayed trigger refers to "that [type]" it really means "that object". Delayed triggered abilities will track the object even if it changes type or other characteristics.

603.7c. A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object changes characteristics. However, if that object is no longer in the zone it's expected to be in at the time the delayed triggered ability resolves, the ability won't affect it.